A Pincushion for Billie

Months ago, one of my quilting guild friends bought my first candlestick pincushion. She seemed thrilled with it and I was happy she liked it. Months later, I taught her and her friends (remember the Girl Gang?) how to make one of their own. Boy, that was fun! All this time, her daughter has lusted after that pincushion...so my friend decided that her daughter needed one of her own and she wanted her to have one of mine. How nice is that?

Well, of course, the daughter is young and in college. As you know, I make a lot of old-fashioned, antique-looking, vintage or vintage- type needlework. What to do for her?

We wanted to use wool and most of mine was dark, but I did have a piece with lavender, blue and pink in it. A plaid. Would that work?

Well, here is the result. I can't decide if it looks like a lamp, a birthday cake, or a hat, but it certainly is different and kind of fun. Fun - now there is word I thought would be a good one to think of while working on this piece. And, I did have fun dreaming up what to do.

I knew I was going to crochet a tiny little purse....so I chose this pretty blue crochet thread. There is a dime in the purse, as my Dad always told me to make sure I had a dime in my purse! (Remember, I am NOT young....and back in the day you could make a phone call for a dime!!) So, her little purse has a dime in it.....and hangs from a mother-of-pearl button.

The pincushion is made from five wedges of wool, so I decided each wedge needed it's own little thing in it....the purse in one, then there is an embroidered butterfly, a bird, a heart and the name of the recipient of the pincushion....Billie.

There is yarn plaited into a band which covers the top seam of the "skirt" with a Herringbone Stitch embroidered above that. A bead is sewn underneath the line of embroidery. I thought the skirt was a little "over the top" but liked the whole idea of it, so embroidered a button hole stitch around the bottom edge of it, then beaded it. The light catches the beads and that is always a plus!!

At first, I was going to embroider a covered button and place it on top, as I have done others, but decided to make a small pincushion from a bottled water lid and add it to the top - for needles. It is embroidered and beaded also. Oh, yes, I had fun!

I sewed a label underneath the skirt.....and wrapped yarn around the candlestick where it meets the wool. Because I can never decide when I'm through with something, I put some silk ribbon tied in a bow around the bottom of the candlestick and sewed a pretty little lavender glass flower bead in the center.

I am making another pincushion from that same wool...it won't look like this one and won't have a skirt....but I can tell you it will have some crochet and a handmade bird on top from my potter-friend, Mary Lou. Can't wait to get it done....

I have been told that Billie "loooved" her pincushion (in the words of her mother!). I sure hope she did.....and I hope she uses and enjoys it for many years. She is new to quiltmaking and I can't wait to hear what she gets into!!! Ok now.....back to work.
Y'all take care. pat